We're Looking Forward to Seeing You All at the 43nd Annual Palisade Peach Festival!
August 18-21, 2011
Come join us for the 43rd annual celebration of Palisade’s famous Peach Festival! This Festival honors our rich agricultural bounty, traditions and history. There’s plenty of great food, entertainment, contests, activities for kids, an amusement carnival, and opportunities to explore Palisade via educational tours and outdoor recreation. You’ll want to try our delicious peach products; from pies to ice cream, preserves to salsas, even virgin peach daiquiris…..and so much more! 
The primary focus of the Peach Festival includes:
~ Promotion of Palisade’s Peach Industry.
~ Promotion of Palisade’s Agriculture.
~ Educating visitors about how Palisade’s produce is grown from the ground up then brought to the table.
The Palisade Peach Festival is operated by the Palisade Chamber of Commerce and is the Chamber’s primary fundraiser. Peach and agricultural related highlights include:
Agricultural Tours: Twenty-eight businesses offer unique opportunities to learn firsthand how fruit, wine, and farm products are grown from the ground up, then prepared and sent to market. Tours include orchards; vineyards & wineries; distillery and brewery operations; alpaca and
lavender farms; wine country bike tours; Colorado River float trips; and guided van and limo tours – each a great way to learn about Palisade’s agriculture. Tours are available each day of the festival.
Ice Cream Social & Street Dance: Kicking off the Peach Festival is the Ice Cream Social, hosted by the Town of Palisade and the Palisade Tribune. Visitors can enjoy free peaches and ice cream, listen to big band music and dance in the streets of downtown Palisade.
Peach Festival at Riverbend Park: The highlight of the Festival is the Peach Festival at Riverbend Park Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The event includes more than one-hundred vendors, fun for kids, the Grand Valley’s best musicians, and many peach-related events.
Some of the peach-related events include:
Peach Cuisine with Colorado Chefs: Eleven different cooking demonstrations with samples featuring some of the finest chefs in the Grand Valley.
History of Peach Growers: Showcases the rich history of peach growing in the Grand Valley through artifacts, demonstrations, and exhibits.
Peach Eating Contest: This contest is a crowd favorite.
Peach Products: Fresh peaches, packaged peach products, peach beverages and refreshing virgin peach daiquiris are available.
Fun for Kids and the Whole Family:
Carnival: Crabtree Amusements will have carnival rides set up for kids of all ages.
Kid's Rides: Train rides, bounce house, bungie tramp, pony rides, kiddie ferris wheel, family games of skill, darts, and balloons.
Feast in the Fields: Guests enjoy an elegant 4-course dinner featuring Palisade peaches and produce, paired with Palisade wines and served in an orchard setting. This year’s dinners are at for Z’s Orchard on Friday and High Country Orchards on Saturday evening. Seating is limited; reservations required.
Peach Recipe Contest: Enables residents and visitors alike to submit peach dishes for competition, judging and tasting.
Palisade Sunday Farmers Market: Provides consumers with the opportunity to get great Palisade produce in one location. Produce includes Palisade peaches, squash, tomatoes, beans, leafy greens, cucumbers, melon, fresh herbs, onions, garlic, potatoes, broccoli, chili peppers, plums, fresh cut flowers, lavender, sweet corn, and more. Located in historic downtown Palisade, the Market includes other vendors like artists and craftsmen along with great music.
While the peach industry and agriculture are the primary focus of the Peach Festival, a growing segment of the Festival is Palisade’s recreational opportunities. These activities include:
~ Peach Fest 3 & 5-Miler: Running events have become increasingly popular on Colorado’s Western Slope and the Peach Fest 3 & 5-Miler has grown into one of the Grand Valley’s most popular summer runs. The course gives runners the opportunity to race alongside the Colorado River and through one of the Grand Valley’s most beautiful parks.
~ Peach Fest Pedal-Paddle-Pedal: The Pedal-Paddle-Pedal is a race for biking and water enthusiasts. Enjoy the mountain biking, river and road touring aspects the Palisade area has to offer. The race starts at Riverbend Park and combines a 20-mile mountain bike course south of town around Horse Mountain and back to Riverbend Park; an 8-mile stretch down the Colorado River from Riverbend Park to Corn Lake State Park in a craft of your choice; and switching to touring bikes at Corn Lake, includes a 14-mile road race over East Orchard Mesa back to Riverbend Park. 
Other Activities: Include the Lions Club Pancake Breakfast; Peach Festival Parade; downtown Palisade entertainment and activities; Just 4-Fun Car Show; the coronation of the Peach Queen and Her Court; announcement of Palisade’s Town Grouch; and vendors, kids rides, musical entertainment and bar - featuring Talbot Hard Cider, Palisade beer, wine, and a signature peach drink –at the Peach Festival at Riverbend Park.
 
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Would you like to be a sponsor, a vendor, or in the parade? If so, see the information on the Sponsors page, Vendors page, or Parade page. |
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Palisade Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 729 319 Main Street Palisade, CO 81526 970-464-7458 FAX 970-464-4757 info@palisadecoc.com |
Would you like free shuttle service to and from locations at the Palisade Peach Festival? See the Parking & Shuttles page for more information. |